I believe this is the first tobacco that I've ever rated as being "Very Strong" in the nicotine department. Dunhill Royal Yacht, Peterson Irish Flake, Samuel Gawith 1792 Flake, Gawith and Hoggarth Dark Birdseye, and Samuel Gawith Brown Rope #4 all rate as "strong" tobaccos for me. This, to me, means that my nicotine craving is satisfied with just one bowl as I am quite tolerant of it and find higher nicotine content tobaccos to be quite pleasing before bedtime. The Commodore Flake offered by Sillem's can easily accomplish this task in only half of a smaller sized bowl, which led to the "very strong" rating.

The reason I have commented on the nicotine content of this flake prior to mentioning any of it's other attributes is that I would not want anyone to ding it in a review due to it's high N content. Know that this one packs a punch prior to purchasing, and if that isn't your thing, stay far away from it.

That being said, let me get into my perceptions of the rest of this offering from Sillem's. This is a totally up front Latakia blend, and it is stellar. If you love Latakia, you will love this. If you don't know what Latakia is or haven't tried it as the primary player in a blend, you will either love it or hate it. We don't know what we love or hate until we try it!

To the Latakia lovers: This blend is amazing... It burns slow, cool and has no bite (and I am easily bitten). It is spicy, but the Cavendish and Burleys give it a semi-sweet undertone. I normally hate Cavendish tobaccos and cringe when I see it is part of a blend, but this one just pulls it off in spectacular fashion. After being tamped down a bit, this tobacco gives off a glorious thick smoke as well. I would write more, but I am already long winded in this review, and it's prowess has more than prepared me for bedtime.

If you love Latakia blends, and don't mind a high N factor, give this one a go. You will not be disappointed! I would give this one a solid 5 stars if the rating system here allowed for it.

Additionally, I find the room note to be spectacular, though it is most definitely not an aromatic tobacco. My lovely wife commented: "it smells great in the living room". I am stocking up on this one for certain! WOW!!!

It's really a pleasure to review a great tobacco! Commodore tin note: smoked brandy. About a dozen, slightly soggy flakes. Each flake is about the volume of a medium bowl. Flakes fall apart and rub out easily when dried properly. Relight is persnickety and best done slowly with a good pipe lighter. However, once lit you get a well behaved smoke. This is 100% high quality tobacco, with a long lasting smoke to fine ash. Two aspects of Commodore surprise me... First, the Latakia is not at all overwhelming. Second, the N strength is very predictable for such a strong flake. Flavor is a bit like Peterson's Irish Flake, sort of raisin-like but a bit smokier with a floral component that's not present in Irish Flake. Definitely one of the tastiest smokes I've had. On my Flake Shelf: 1792, Irish, Gawith Scented Brown, Conniston Cut Plug, Commodore. I'm torn between Petersons Irish and Commodore, but for budget reasons and smokability I've gone through more Petersons Irish.

O-K, I'm a noob, but I've been trying a lot of high-quality strong tobaccies- such as Irish Flake; 1792; Black Irish X, etc. which are all very good...but once I tried Commodore, I KNEW that I found MY mainstay tobacco!

Having started out with English blends and then migrating away from them, I didn't consider myself a latakia fan; in fact, I was getting rather tired of lat making it's typical appearance in so many blends- but even knowing that this 'baccy is a "lat bomb", I tried it because a reviewer on another site said that it was the strongest tobacco he had ever encountered, and I love strong tobacco!

Well, in my opinion, it's not the strongest of the strong tobaccos (I'd rate it's strength as more than Irish Flake- which I consider rather mild- and less than 1792] but it does have enough strength to satisfy me, AND it is quite simply the tastiest; most pleasant; well-mannered; rich; creamy tobacco I have ever encountered, and likely ever will!

Although this may be a "lat bomb", I don't get the annoying overly cloying lat characteristic which I find annoying in other blends. In fact, I'm thinking it may be something else ion those other blends, combining weith the lat, which is causing me not to like what i perceive as lat...because there's no doubt that this baccie is high in latakia...but I LOVE it and get a far different taste from it than in the typical English blends.

I get more of a chocolate flavor from Commodore- and I love it! I have never smoked aromatics, and have never bought any tobacco that advertised a chocolate flavor....but I sure do like the chocoilate essence I get from the combination of tobaccos in Commodore! It's truly classic!- and it's not bitter nor acrid- but rather very smooth.

I've smoked blends [like Pease's "Fillmore"] which although good, irritated my nostrils; and which I couldn'/t wait to expell from mouth, as they were harsh and acrid.....but Commodore- what can I say? It's like the smoke it produces feels right at home no matter what orifice it seeps into, and you savor it and enjoy every last nuance of it, rather than trying to waft it away!

While Commodore's flavor is by no means subtle; yet it does not hiot you over ther head and kick you in the butt! It asserts itself, but in such a way that you can revel in it and savor it. Ditto the nicotine- there's plenty of it- but it doesn't punch you in the face and say "Here I am!".

And as another reviewer also stated, I also do not like cavendish, and scrupulously avoid it.....so I find it hard to believe that cavendish is actually in this beautiful flake!

All I can say, is that this is a very unique and surprising tobacco. Whether you like latakia or hate it; whether you like cavendish or hate it, I'd say try Commodore- as it's unique blend tends to defy all stereotypes and preconceived notions!

Bottom line: If you enjoy a strong, but not harsh or over-powering tobacco, with lots of [what I'll call "natural chocolate"] flavor, which is creamy and rich, and has a unique taste and aroma, give this flake a whirl!

No guarantee that you'll like it- it is what it is- and I don't see it as a middle of the road tobacco- you'll either love it or loathe it...but if you love it, you'll have discovered a unique gem that you'll enjoy for many years to come!

I have read and re-read the reviews of this blend and noted that they are consistently positive. I cannot concur. I found Commodore Flake to be a flawed blend with sins of both commission and omission. First, I want to explore the commissions. When I first opened this tin it seemed adequately dry to smoke right away and, so, I did. On the very first lighting draw my tongue was attacked by a corrosive smoke that made a sore spot immediately. I've been smoking a pipe for almost forty-five years and have never experienced anything like this. Ignoring the sore spot on my tongue, I pressed on and made sure the smoke went to either side of my tongue, but, to no avail. Soon the sides of my tongue were tingling and I knew I had to stop if I wanted to smoke and enjoy a pipe later in the day. Then there is the taste of this blend; thin and flat and heavily dominated by the latakia with precious little of the nutty characteristic of a good burley component. It reminded me of smoking straight latakia, which I have done before several times. Then there is the room aroma; again, thin and flat. I applied the technique suggested by Regis McCafferty of smoking for a short while, leaving the room for about ten minutes and going back in to find out what the blend's room aroma is. I did this and could only slightly detect a thin and vague English aroma. I laid off smoking CF straight for a couple of weeks and used it in microblending as a condimental ingredient and this worked-out okay. I decided to try smoking it straight again and this time the tobacco was more dried-out. The aggressive tongue bite on light up didn't happen this time. As I smoked the bowl down it began to irritate my tongue, however, this time I pressed on to finish. I found that if smoked in a careful manner, it was tolerable. But, and this is a very big but, smoking faster made this blend flat and tasteless and smoking it very slowly ALSO made it smoke flat and tasteless! That left a very narrow range of puffing that was difficult to maintain but yielded a beautiful marrying of the latakia and burley. As to the omission factor: this blend needs something added to it in the middle range of tastes to give a platform for the other tobaccos to push off from for a really good smoke. The result is that this blend seems incomplete in it's current configuration. Now, a lot of you really like this blend and I am so positive about Sillem's London Blend (I would have rated it five stars if I could have) that I am giving Commodore Flake two stars and cautiously recommending it to all English smokers, even though its not for me.

Pipe Used: Becker quarter bent yatch

Age When Smoked: recent

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com

Similar Blends: different from but somewhat Penzance-like in a burley kind of way.

The flake is a bit moist and rubs (crumbles) easily. It burns nicely after some drying time.The flavor profile is of a floral, mildly sweet Latakia. I assume the sweetness is from the Cavendish. There is a very mild earthiness that may be coming from the Burley. If so, it's all of the Burley I can detect. I like this best in the smaller bowled Country Gentleman. In the taller bowled General it lasts too long and I find myself tiring of it. I find it to be a nice tasting flake and an enjoyable smoke.

Cult classic is right. Have been a Sillem's London Blend fan for a while and, while I'm not sure I'll be a Commodore devotee, I'll certainly be a fan. For what this tobacco is and what it professes to be, it merits every bit of 4 stars. Extremely strong, which I like (as one who would rather half-fill a pipe than stuff it just to have a bottom third that is often painful to smoke with a smile). As for quality of leaf and manufacturing process, spot on. Well smoked Latakia and well cured cavendish. Easy to light and smoke and surprisingly complex and subtle flavors throughout. "Lat bomb"? Overused phrase but maybe apt here. "Bomb" for sure. Fun like a great roller coaster. If you are not turned off by strength, definitely give it a try if for no reason other than educational research. Smoking a pipe is not a habanero eating contest, but if you like the heat buy a tin or two. And again, this is in fact a quality tobacco/smoke and not a novelty item.

My experience trying to draft this review was much like my first time smoking this tobacco: nearly overwhelming. There are just so many things I want to say about it, all at once. Now, as I write this, I feel bound by common sense and common decency to warn others that this is strong tobacco, indeed, and you will not go gently into the good night after smoking a bowl of Commodore Flake!

IMO, this tobacco has what it takes to become a Cult Classic. While it's not for everyone, there is definitely enough There here to make it an object of lust for a certain few. Preparation, presentation, smoking qualities, aroma and taste are all 4 Star, and it only gets better on that level as it is smoked down. At the the same time, the nicotine level keeps building, from a rush to a blow to the side of the head. Is this the stuff of legends? We'll see.

As for aroma and taste, this tobacco is all about undertones. The Latakia, Cavendish and Kentucky are artfully melded and provide a rich, intoxicating blend of dark, smoky, unsweetened chocolate, sour prunes, piping hot, dark, bitter coffee, and roasted Brazil nuts. I find it hard to describe the unique combination of prime Latakia "smoke", sour, sweet and nuts on the tongue, but it is more than a blast; it is the tobacconist's art at its zenith. It gives off a great profusion of smoke that smells wonderful, but the smoker partakes of this at his own risk. And just to be triple sure one never forgets it, it has the best aftertaste of any tobacco I have tried. It is certainly the best of the Lat blends in this regard.

So, if it's so great, why do I only give it 3 stars? Simply put, it would be downright irresponsible of me not to penalize it one star for its over-the-top nicotine content.

07-29-13: Yes, it's too soon for new impressions, but because this is/can be such special stuff I just wanted to share that my original review was based on "native moisture", as from the tin. Today my jarred stash was pretty dry, but I smoked some anyway. Excellent, but mostly cedar incense as a trick, and there seems to be some sort of rum or "rum sugars", or something like this. FYI, the celebrated intensity, complexity and aftertaste I first described seem to depend on correct (wet-ish) moisture. Drying did seem to reign in the nicotine somewhat, however...

08-11-13: OK, the re-hydrated CF is at least as good as ever, and the BIG N is BACK, as ever. I am raising my recommendation to 4 stars, where it belonged all along, apart from my being protective of "others". CAVEAT: If you are at all sensitive to nicotine, believe me, this stuff will get you. Try a small pipe or a partial load, and puff cautiously, before you go hog wild.

Figured I should give one of the highest-rated English blends on this site a try. Had to wait a bit for smokingpipes.com to get it in stock but it did not disappoint.

The blend is a unique formulation for an English--latakia married to dark-fired burley (Kentucky) and cavendish rather than Virginias. Flakes are somewhat narrow, a bit delicate, and jet, jet black. The tin note is straight-up incense. Smells like it may have bergamot or a similar flavoring? Once exposed to air, it gives off a strong note of grilled red meat as well.

Rubbed out a flake and let it dry for about 24 hours (a bit excessive, but I couldn't get to it sooner), then a three-layer pack. Lit up and burned like a charm to a clean ash. Lat-heavy for the first half of the smoke. Short-lived taste of meat over hardwood charcoal that opened up into strong floral and toasted bread notes (burley?) toward the end of the bowl. Room note smelled like a stick of nag champa.

Nicotine didn't hit too hard at first, but by the end of the bowl, I was feeling pretty softened up. Also has that rich and heavy mouthfeel you'd expect of a lat blend. Absolutely nothing to object to with this tobacco.

A tobacco of undeniable character, my constant companion wether strolling outside, sitting in contemplation inside, waking up or settling into sleep. This is my go-to tobacco. If I'm out of Commodore, I'm off to the tobacconist straight away, regardless of whatever other luxury tins of varying varieties I have on hand.

This is the flavor base for all my pipes as the Cavendish and Kentucky (Burley, which in other blends has been the tongue-burn factor for my own personal chemistry, which, you will find, with just a little research on the web, is asserted by some self-declared "tobacco experts" as the actual cause of that loathsome condition. I tend to agree that one's personal body-chemistry factors just as heavily into what tobaccos are enjoyable. But I digress.) give a whiskey-tinged sweetness at the top of the bowl, and get more complex and dark going further. For me, its like flavoring a bowl with a vanilla cavendish without the hot-burning additives on finely cut leaf.

Agreed, this is a full bodied, mouthy latakia based flake, (flake being another attribute which contributes to its versatility--and flavor. Its useful going from pipe to pipe, experimenting with a course or fine texture that fits each pipe's temperament) and the spice of that base ingredient comes out quite a bit by the middle and especially the end of the bowl. My lips tingle happily with the lovely nicotine spice that plays out by the end! It should be noted that I can and do the occasional full and smokey spice-laden Latakia from start to finish such as Lancer's Slices when I'm in the mood, but Commodore is no such animal; as soon as the pipe in which the spicy smokey blend was smoked has rested, I immediately "re-flavor" the bowl with this agreeable sweet flake.

Finally, I find Commodore Flake blends beautifully with bright and nic-kick virginias of many varieties, adding a harmonious contrast of flavors in the chambers of my go-to pipes.

This was my introduction to Latakia from aromatics and Black and Gold Cavendish and what a revelation it was. A sweet whiskey bouquet bordering on an aromatic ending in a robust, satisfying but subtly spicy smoke. An indispensable staple in my humidor. If I ever find its being discontinued I will hock several items of value to purchase it en mass. Hats off to our German friends at Sillem's!

It appears that I am a lat freak. I bought this today when I bought a Caminetti bent bulldog pipe and mentioned that I'd use it as a flake pipe. So he pulled this out and let me sniff it. And I bought it.

And it is a strong Latakia blend. In fact, I'd say it's Latakia with a couple other tobaccos pinched in. It's a Lat Bomb.

I loved the flavor and the room note. It has the odor I've come to appreciate with other tobaccos of its ilk. It is a solid flake and comes out of the tin nearly perfect. I'll try drying a little, but it smoked superbly in my new pipe.

But it's STRONG. It has a full room note, but I find it eminently pleasant (thus my rating there). But I had to stop this afternoon because the nicotine hit it gave me made me break out in sweats. This is not a tobacco for the meek. A solid Latakia tobacco, but balanced. It does cause some tongue bite as you smoke it. Not initially, but halfway down the bowl I noticed it.

All in all, an excellent smoke, but it's not something you just throw in your pipe and go on your merry way. It demands respect.